I have dreamt....
by Ragna Katharina
Summary: Continuation of 'QUO VADIS, LUCIUS?'... Is there a future for the love of Lucien and Natalie in the present or has all that happend in ancient Rome just been a cruel dream?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: The Forever Knight characters and universe don't belong  
to me. They belong to: Sony, Columbia/Tristar, Parriot, & Cohen.   
But it is a hellufa fun playing with them :)  
  
I have to thank Jules and Deb for helping me greatly by proofreading the story.   
I would have never been able to write it without their help. And thanks to Kylie   
for pointing out that Natalies true parents are dead.  
  
This is a sequel to the story 'Quo Vadis, Lucius?'   
I hope you enjoy it. Any comments, as long as you do not rip me apart   
completely, are highly appreciated :)  
My e mail adress is iejasu@fan-fiction.de   
  
Many greetings from Germany :)  
  
Iejasu  
  
  
  
  
I have dreamt....... ( The sequel to - QUO VADIS, LUCIUS?)  
  
by Iejasu  
  
Epilogue  
  
The phone rang. It was the private line, the line which was exclusively for members of   
the Community, and it was hardly used, except in a case of emergency.   
Lacroix lifted an eyebrow, reluctant for a second, until he decided to pick up the receiver.   
  
"Lucien Lacroix", he stated calmly, expecting to hear about another disaster in the   
Community, maybe a misguided youngster who was stupid enough to contact him before   
the Enforcers got hold of him. It was never sure whom to face was worse,   
Lacroix or the Enforcers....   
  
  
"Lacroix? I just wanted to tell you I'm leaving town. If you happen to run into   
Nick, tell him to rot in hell."   
The caller did not introduce herself, but Lacroix knew at once who was talking.  
  
"I can understand your actions. May I ask where you intend to go?"   
Weeks had passed since her appearance at the Raven, but Nick had stayed hidden.   
Lacroix worried about Nicholas, but he had finally decided that Nicholas was old enough   
to face his life on his own. In fact, he was sick of Nicholas, his selfishness, his   
moods, his self-loathing. Maybe that dream had changed him a little. Maybe the fact   
that, in his dream, he had actually saved Lydia from her death had switched a jumper   
in his brain. He grinned at the thought of switching   
jumpers in a brain the way you would on a motherboard.  
  
" I'll be moving to Montreal. I asked to be transferred, and today I got the papers."  
  
"I will certainly contact you in case Nicholas shows up," he reconfirmed.  
  
  
"Lacroix, don't bother. I am not interested anymore. His actions speak for themselves.   
He dumped me at the hospital and ran away."  
  
Lacroix pulled a face. He was certainly glad that she did not know the truth. For it had   
been him who had ensured her wellbeing by taking her to the nearest ER.  
  
"As you wish, Dr. Lambert. May I inquire if there is anything.... the Community may   
assist you with?" For a second, he had wanted to ask her something else, if 'he' could   
help her, but he knew just how much she disliked him and had decided in favor of a   
noncommittal expression.  
  
"The Community owes you a lot, and we would be glad to provide any help you might   
require, financial or otherwise," he added softly.  
  
Natalie frowned a second. Lacroix sounded unusually gentle. He sounded even a little   
like that Lucius in her dream, but she had become suspicious of nice vampires.   
  
"No, thank you. I am quite able to handle everything myself, Lacroix," she   
answered curtly.  
  
"Very well then, Dr. Lambert. May I remind you that you can always turn to the   
Community if you require our help, and that we have long memories."  
  
She grinned sadly. The Community had most certainly the longest memory possible. It   
would not matter to them whether she contacted them tomorrow or in 60 years.  
  
"Your offer is ... most generous. I will keep it in mind, Lacroix," she   
responded noncommittally.  
  
A soft click told him that she had cut the line. Lucien Lacroix stared at the phone. All had   
ended in sorrow and anger. Natalie Lambert felt betrayed, left behind, maybe even   
dumped, and he could understand why. She had loved Nick, but Nick had run away,   
again. He was always running away. She had to live her own life.  
  
He returned to his work. She had called him right in the middle of it.  
  
"Now, gentle listeners, I will play a soft music for all of you who dream of   
love, but never find it.   
Don't you sometimes feel like a flower-girl standing at the corner?   
Those flowers representing all those things we would love to give that one special person   
who returns your love.   
  
"How often has your basket with those flowers been thrown into the mud?   
How often have you picked them up again, gently brushing off the dirt, only to offer   
them again? To once again see them thrown into the dirt and stepped upon, and  
to hear mocking laughter in your ears?   
Now your flowers have withered. They look crumbled. They die slowly.   
And you know that soon you will put the basket away and leave.   
You will not offer anything to anyone anymore. Your heart turns to stone. "This is for you."  
  
He switched off his microphone and the music began to play.  
  
**********  
  
  
I have dreamt that your arms are lovely....  
I have dreamt what a joy you'll be....  
I have dreamt every word you whisper..  
When you're close, close to me.  
  
We speak in a whisper, afraid to be heard...  
Alone in our secret together we sigh  
For one smiling day to be free....  
  
How you look in the glow of evening,  
I have dreamed and enjoyed the view.  
  
In these dreams I've loved you so,  
That by now I think I know,  
what it's like to be loved by you.  
I will love being loved by you.  
  
***********  
  
The music went on and Lucien closed his eyes, his mind elsewhere, far back in the past,   
in the bight sunshine of a day in Rome.   
  
  
***  
  
Natalie sat in her apartment, all her belongings spread out on the floor. She sat right in   
the middle of the mess, tears flowing down her cheeks. She did not understand why.   
Nick had left her, but that was not what made her heart ache. That song, that damnable   
song tore her heart apart. Why was she unable to forget a weird dream, a dream that was   
totally illogical, totally unrealistic? A dream about a man and a woman in Rome.  
She buried her face into her hands and cried, but she knew Lacroix was only mocking   
her. He knew that she had hoped Nick would return her love, but now she was alone.   
That was his way of revenge - a cruel, mocking revenge. She could imagine the sneer   
on his face. No, she would go away. She would give birth to her child, and she would take her   
life into her own hands again. 


	2. Chapter 1

I have dreamt.......  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
  
5 years later.......  
  
  
The door to the Raven opened, and a blond man with long hair and a beard entered.   
Vampires cannot be deceived by appearances, so all of them recognized him   
instantly.  
  
Lacroix sat at the bar. He always sat at the bar, and now he stared with an icy   
look at the seemingly young man.  
  
Nick approached the bar as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Good evening, Lacroix."  
  
Lacroix forced his anger down and took a long swig from his glass.  
"Nicholas. Should I say I am glad to see you?" His voice was calm but laced with anger.  
  
Nicholas looked at him with slight surprise. He had expected that Lacroix   
would attack him, or that he would remain still, but he certainly didn't expect   
anything like this icy greeting.  
  
"Well, Lacroix., I thought I might show up... "  
  
"And what makes you think that I am interested in your person..."  
  
Nicholas' eyes widened. He had known Lacroix for 800 years, and the old   
General had always been interested in his .... whereabouts, but during the   
last 5 years, nobody had tried to bring him back or force him back into the   
Community. Quite the opposite. He had been left alone. Even the other   
vampires had ignored him. In the end, he returned on his own.  
  
"Umm, well... I thought..."  
  
Lacroix showed his best predator smile.   
  
"Nicholas, I am not interested in your whereabouts. I would prefer you leave   
immediately and do not return. You wanted your freedom so badly... Well, it is time I   
grant you your dearest wish. Go, Nicholas. The sight of you makes me feel sick."  
  
Nicholas stared at him disbelieving. Was he mocking him? "Lacroix..."  
  
"No, Nicholas., I have had quite enough. Your selfishness has overstepped its   
boundaries. Your inability to face the consequences of your actions is a lesson I realized   
you have to learn. But I will not be your teacher. You should go and see Dr. Lambert."  
  
"Natalie? But...but...she is dead!"  
  
"Dr. Lambert is well and alive, no thanks to you."  
  
"You brought her over!!" Nicholas was not far from attacking the old General.  
  
"I brought her over to the emergency room, Nicholas. She survived your inability to   
restrain yourself."   
  
Guilt washed over Nicholas' face.   
"Ahhh, Lacroix... Do you think it is ...wise? I am quite sure she has her own life now. I   
would not wish to open ... old wounds."  
  
Lacroix stared at him with distaste.  
"Nicholas, is it not simply that you are not very interested in explaining to her why you   
left? That you preferred to turn her over to death instead of bringing her over?"  
  
"She had offered herself to me. I asked you to kill me!" Nick answered in a hoarse voice...  
  
"She loved you!" Lacroix hissed. " You didn't want her to lose her mortality, isn't that so,   
Nicholas? You wanted to keep her on that marble altar instead of valuing her as a   
woman with desires and needs."  
  
"She .... I did not want to destroy her ... innocence."  
  
"Like Fleur... Isn't that so?"  
  
Nicholas looked down.  
  
"You have never learned that a woman is much more than either an idol or a whore.   
I was unable to teach this lesson to you. You turned to Janette when you could   
not suppress your desires and knelt in front of Natalie as a   
replacement of your holy virgin."  
  
  
Nicholas looked at Lacroix with that puppy look in his eyes, pleading for understanding.  
  
"No, Nicholas. Natalie is in Montreal. That is the last thing I got to know. Go to her and   
apologize. That much decency you should demonstrate."  
  
"You always told me that the actions of mortals are not important to us, and now you tell   
me to apologize?"  
  
"I always told you not to get involved with mortals, but you did. Now face the   
consequences and apologize!" Lacroix hissed angrily.  
  
Nicholas shook his head in defiance.  
  
That was enough for Lacroix. He grabbed Nicholas's arm and pulled him toward the   
exit."Go, Nicholas. You are not wanted here anymore. Leave and look for another   
Community. I recommend Australia or the Arctic."  
Lacroix told the bouncer at the door never to allow Nicholas to enter again.  
  
Nicholas stared in disbelief. His father had abandoned him. Anger rose in the   
younger vampire. He would look for another Community, and he would find it. 


	3. Chapter 2

I have dreamt.......  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
A week later, Lacroix stepped out of the plane that had brought him to Montreal.  
  
The services of a private investigator had delivered to him the whereabouts of Dr.   
Lambert.  
  
He was quite aware that he could have phoned, but he had decided to deliver the message   
in person. He also wanted to confirm that Natalie was well, that she had reestablished   
herself, her life, her emotional stability.  
  
He told the cabdriver the address and leaned back into the seat. He disliked cabs, but he   
did not know Montreal well enough to fly, so he had to seek her out by mortal means.  
  
It was a tiny house on the outskirts of the town, with a large garden outside, and a lawn   
full and lush in its green shade, soft to the feet like velvet. He rang and an elderly   
woman opened the door to look up at him. "Yes, Sir ?"  
  
"I beg your pardon, but I am looking for Dr. Natalie Lambert. I was informed that she resides here."  
  
The woman looked up at him with wonder. This man certainly had a way with words and   
splendid manners, but something in his pale blue eyes and features told her that this   
was also a man who could be dangerous. Molly felt towards Natalie as if she was her   
daughter but she had been her nanny when Natty was small. With the instinct of the   
mother who still had an unmarried daughter, she decided that this impression was   
not relevant.  
  
"Natalie is not at home. May I ask who you are?"  
  
"My name is Lucien Lacroix. I am acquainted with Dr. Lambert and would like to   
inquire about her wellbeing as well as deliver a personal message."  
  
The woman at the door smiled at him and stepped back to allow him entry.  
"If you would care to wait, Natalie will be home shortly."  
  
He entered the house and smiled dutifully.  
  
The living room was nondescript. Lacroix was guided to the couch.  
  
"May I offer you a drink?" the woman asked.  
  
Lacroix smiled at the thought. Natalie would certainly not appreciate it if   
he responded positively to this generous offer.  
"Thank you, Madame, but I am not thirsty."  
  
The woman nodded and sat down as well.  
"So where did you meet Natalie? At the hospital?"   
  
"I know her from the time she resided in Toronto," he answered   
politely. He did not enjoy being questioned, but he realized that he had to conduct   
himself carefully here. She was obviously not a servant.  
  
The woman looked at him with an expression that struck him as odd. He suddenly felt   
as though he was the chosen prey of a predator. A very strange feeling for the old   
vampire.Finally, he realized the truth. That woman had taken the place of a Mother   
in Dr. Lamberts life. Mothers were always the same, during all times. And   
mothers of daughters who were over 30 were especially dangerous 'hunters', ruthless and   
cunning. He chuckled inwardly.  
  
The key worked in the lock, and he could hear laughter and giggles. Lacroix rose to his   
feet. Natalie came in, her coat hanging over her arm. Her eyes fell on Lacroix and she   
paled visibly.Lacroix just wanted to open his mouth when he realized that there was a   
little girl standing next to Dr. Lambert. A little girl with pale blue eyes and blond,   
nearly white, hair. Disbelieving, he stared at the little girl who eyed him suspiciously.  
  
Natalie quickly recovered from the sight. In consideration of Molly, she decided to   
remain polite." Lacroix, I did not expect you to visit me."   
  
It took him a second to answer in the same tone.  
"Dr. Lambert, I am pleased to see that you are well. I am here to deliver a   
message from my son."  
  
She saw his questioning look at the girl.  
  
"This is my daughter, Lacroix."  
  
"May I inquire as to her age?" His voice was suddenly hoarse.  
  
"I'm almost 5 years old," the little girl interrupted.  
  
Lacroix closed his eyes in shock. It rarely happened that a vampire fathered a child, but   
it was not entirely unheard of. He found the thought that Nicholas had lost his restraint   
so completely to be shameful.   
  
"Molly, could you leave us alone?"  
  
Her old nanny nodded dutifully and left.  
  
Both stared at one another in silence.  
  
It was Lacroix who managed to voice the next sentence.  
"I am deeply sorry, Dr. Lambert. I did not realize that my son behaved in such a manner."  
  
Molly had taken the little girl with her.  
  
They sat down.  
  
"Did you see Nick?" Natalie requested. The way she asked showed Lacroix that Natalie   
had indeed recovered, at least partially, from her loss.  
  
Lacroix nodded and instinctively reached out and took her hand into his own.  
"Natalie, I cannot express my sorrow. Nicholas showed himself about a week ago.   
I talked to him, told him to face you and to apologize. But he is unwilling to   
follow my request...... as always." He sighed deeply.  
  
Natalie stared at the hand that held hers. His hand was soft and cool but he held her   
lightly like a bird. She could have slipped from his grasp any second. He had   
beautiful and strong hands, Natalie realized. Just like the hands she remembered.  
  
She smiled sadly at the ancient. "He always defies you, doesn't he? It does not   
matter any longer, Lacroix. I have settled down and am quite happy. I do not   
care if Nick knows that he has a daughter or not."  
  
"But you and your child should be provided for. Allow me to see to   
the duties my son is not willing to undertake." He looked into her   
eyes. "It is my grandchild, Natalie."  
  
She smiled at him. Strange, Lacroix seemed changed. His eyes had a warm   
expression."Lacroix, I am quite capable of providing for my child. I do not need to be ... provided for."   
  
He sighed inwardly. The women of this century were so different from previous times.   
They did not need male support any longer, and they were proud of it.  
  
"Dr. Lambert, I certainly realize that you are not in any position that could be called   
'needy', but it would give me great pleasure to add to your financial independence."  
  
Natalie frowned for a second. It would be nice to be financially independent, not having   
to worry anymore. The job she had at the hospital paid her bills and provided for their   
living, but it was not as well paying as her job at the morgue. She was not alone anymore,   
and being there for her little girl meant more to her than a great income, so she had   
settled for a less lucrative job in order to have more time.  
  
She nodded calmly.  
  
"I accept your offer, Lacroix."  
  
"I am most pleased, Dr. Lambert...."  
He kissed her hand politely and this time she did not pull back.  
  
"May I inquire in person, from time to time, about the wellbeing of my grandchild, Dr.   
Lambert?" He asked politely, unsure if this request would spoil the whole agreement.  
  
He could see the inner battle in her eyes. She was unsure if she could trust him.  
  
"I will certainly not bother you ever again. This is not part of the ... financial agreement,   
just a personal request you are free to decline."  
  
He realized that he still held her hand...  
  
"Very well, Lacroix. You may visit us occasionally if you promise to inform me   
ahead of time."  
  
"I will be most pleased to do so, Dr. Lambert." 


	4. Chapter 3

I have dreamt.......  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Lucien Lacroix transferred a respectable but not ostentatious sum to the  
accounts of Dr. Lambert and took the liberty of quietly erasing the mortgage   
on her home. But he purposely left her alone, however, in keeping with   
their arrangement. His phone rang about a month later.  
"This is Dr. Lambert speaking. I just wanted to thank you for... well, for the transfer."  
He could hear how difficult is was for her to thank him. He smiled.  
  
"I am most pleased that you accepted my offer, so there is nothing to thank me for,  
Dr. Lambert. I trust you and your family are well?" he asked softly.  
  
"Yes, we are well, indeed...."  
  
There was a short silence, and Lacroix wondered if Natalie had cut the line.   
He could still hear her breathing, though, so he waited patiently.  
  
"I... well, how about having a coffee together when you happen to be in Montreal?"   
she asked. He could not help but grin. It must have been difficult for her to   
make such an offer."I would enjoy accompanying you to a coffeehouse, Dr. Lambert."   
  
"Uhm, well, yes.... fine."  
  
"Would the day after tomorrow be agreeable?" Lacroix offered. He understood that   
convention dictated that she make this invitation, even so he was unable to resist.  
  
"That would be agreeable," Natalie stated firmly.  
  
They agreed on a small coffeehouse in the center of Montreal, a place crowded with people.  
  
Natalie put down the receiver and sighed. This was certainly not getting easier.   
Molly had argued that she could not treat this polite and generous man like dirt.   
And it was true, Lacroix was more than kind to her since the day   
he had visited her and met her daughter. If he were a mortal man, she would respond   
differently, but Nick had told her what a dangerous and deceitful personality  
Lucien Lacroix was, and the night at Azure had confirmed   
that. He was able to be polite, even pleasant, but he reminded her of the   
snake in the Disney movie, 'Kaa' ... A soft and friendly voice but dangerous   
to the extreme, deceitful and without any remorse. She giggled slightly at   
the thought of Lacroix singing, "Trust in me," like Kaa, trying to whammy Mowgly.  
She then decided that she was getting to be too much of a mother, watching   
Disney movies and knowing every line from the Disney songbook.   
  
  
  
Putting on her gloves, she stared at the victim. The male nurse   
turned away in disgust."This is certainly gruesome. Look at his throat. It's torn out!"   
  
The poor victim had been alive when the police had found him, but every   
effort in the ER proved unsuccessful, and now he was lying on Natalie's table.  
  
Natalie examined the wound while the male nurse walked out, gladly fleeing the sight.  
  
It certainly looked as if a vampire, a quite ruthless vampire to be exact, had   
ended this poor man's life, but the fact that there was still blood in the body made   
her unsure. She examined the photos from the place the victim had been found. There   
was blood on the ground. No, it couldn't have been a vampire, at least, not a   
hungry vampire... A dog? No dog in Montreal had fangs like that, but what other   
animal could rip out a throat like that? A tiger? A lion? Both would have continued   
to feed on their prey.... She was confused. Natalie took samples of the blood   
from the surface of the wound and examined it for the vampire virus.  
She looked though the microscope, not believing what she saw.There was a virus indeed, indeed,   
similar to the virus of vampirism but somehow different. It seemed inactive. A sleeping virus?   
She decided to let it be for tonight and put the victim in the storeroom. She   
had a meeting tonight, one she was not looking forward to.  
  
  
Lacroix arrived at the coffeehouse and looked around, noticing that Natalie  
had already arrived. He went over to her table and bowed, greeting her calmly.  
  
"I hope your day was not too stressful, Dr. Lambert."  
  
Natalie watched as he took the seat opposite to her and relaxed.  
  
"Actually, it was quite uneventful, until shortly before I finished my shift," she remarked dryly.  
  
"Indeed? He grinned mischievously. "So, tell me: Was it at least interesting?"  
He had no clue what to talk about, so he was glad they could discuss her job.  
  
Natalie hesitated for a second until she made up her mind. "I would like your   
expertise on that matter. It looks a bit like an animal attack, but it is   
definitely too large for a dog. I would have thought of a member of the   
Community, but there is too much blood....left."  
  
Lacroix looked at her. She wanted his expertise?  
  
"What else? I have the feeling you haven't told me everything."  
  
She sighed. "Yes. There is a virus involved, similar to yours....but different somehow."  
  
The ancient General nodded. " I'd like to see the ... victim."  
  
"You would?" Natalie was surprised.  
  
"Yes, indeed." Lucien had a suspicion, and that idea was certainly not very  
amusing. Natalie saw the concerned look on the face of the old vampire and   
realized that this matter was more important than she had anticipated.  
  
As they entered the morgue and Natalie recovered the body from the fridge,   
she witnessed a vampire turning green in the face. Lacroix suddenly looked like a   
young medical student at his first dissection.   
  
"Well, it's not that bad Lacroix. You have seen worse."  
  
Lacroix coughed violently, and she clapped him on the back.  
"My dear Doctor, please remove the ... victim from this room! The smell is nauseating."  
  
Natalie followed his request immediately, and after a while,  
the vampire seemed to recover his dignity.  
  
"I've never seen a vampire react so strongly to a dead mortal," she mused.  
  
He shook his head in disgust.  
  
"My dear Natalie, I did not react to the victim, but to the smell of the one who killed him."  
  
Her professional interest awoke."You mean, you can smell the murderer?"  
  
He smiled at her. Vampiric senses certainly had their benefits.  
"Yes, my dear, and I can confirm to you that it was no vampire who did this.   
It was a quite different predator. A very dangerous predator."  
  
Natalie wondered what a man like Lacroix would call 'dangerous'."  
  
"What kind of.... predator?" she found herself whispering.  
  
"A werewolf, my dear, the natural archenemy of every vampire." 


	5. Chapter 4

I have dreamt.....  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Natalie and Lacroix left the building. The evening was warm and welcoming.   
Lucien was obviously glad to escape the horrid smell.   
She heard him breathe deeply.  
  
"Tell me more," she said as they walked the streets.  
  
"We share the same hunting grounds. In the past, the attack of a werewolf   
was often mistaken for the attack of my kind, and vice versa. Because we   
prey on the same species, we are natural enemies."  
  
"But a vampire is stronger than a werewolf, isn't he?"  
  
"On the contrary, my dear. A werewolf gains his full strength the second   
he mutates into his predator state. An old vampire is certainly stronger,   
but a young one has no chance. Werewolves reproduce in a much quicker way.   
A scratch from the claw of their kind turns a mortal into a werewolf.   
We need to bring our young over, nurture them, let them grow, very much   
like a human child. Certainly we have advantages. A vampire is still in   
possession of his intellect, while turning into a predator while   
a werewolf becomes an animal, only guided by its instinct. Only very old   
werewolves are able to keep their intellect after the transformation."  
  
"If they are so dangerous, why aren't there constant fights between them?"  
  
"We hunt them, try to keep their population low or to destroy them completely.   
Werewolves have been extinct for at least 100 years. At least, we thought so."  
  
"What else is there?" Natalie believed that he had not finished yet.  
  
"Normally, we detect them by accident. We hunt humans and drink their   
blood, but drinking the blood of a werewolf is lethal to us. The merest   
scratch of a werewolf can make us violently ill. Some of us die.   
Unfortunately, it's only when they turn into their bestial state that   
we are able to detect them. Their tainted blood is undetectable until   
we have already taken it."  
  
"Why did you react so strongly at the victim?"  
  
"The werewolf who attacked him left his scent behind. The smell is   
disgusting to my kind. Unless he doesn't shower and change its clothing,   
a werewolf in human form smells like any other human to us."  
  
"That certainly sounds very unpleasant," Natalie murmured.  
  
"Indeed, it does. I have to warn the local Community." He shoved his   
hands into his pockets, and they continued their walk.  
  
"Do you think there is more than one werewolf?" Natalie inquired.  
  
He laughed bitterly. "At the speed they normally reproduce, I highly   
doubt that there is only one of their kind. I just wonder how they were   
able to hide this long."  
  
She looked up to the moon. It was full and a perfect circle.   
The horror was not over yet.  
  
"Lucius, do you think they will seek out vampires and attack them?"   
Natalie asked, lost in thought.  
  
He turned towards her, paling even for a vampire.  
"Excuse me, Dr. Lambert. What did you just call me?"   
His voice had become somewhat louder.  
  
She stared at him, until she realized what she had said just a second ago.   
Natalie quickly tried to find an explanation.  
"Is Lucius not your first name? I mean... Lucien is hardly... Roman."  
  
He calmed down and looked away from her. "You are correct, Dr. Lambert.   
My name is indeed Lucius. How very clever of you."   
  
There was an awkward silence until he continued.  
"You may call me Lucius, if I am allowed to call you Natalie."  
  
Suddenly, he remembered her question.  
"They will indeed seek out the vampires and try to destroy them."  
  
They walked for quite a while, speaking about various matters.   
He called the local Community and talked to them for a brief while.  
  
It was getting late when he finally walked her home. There was a nice   
park not far away from the house. This area was especially handy for   
couples with children, as there were parks and playgrounds everywhere.   
  
Suddenly, Lucien turned around. The smell was faint,   
but is was detectable to his keen nose.  
  
His eyes narrowed. "Natalie, stay with me but try to stay out of the way."  
  
"Lucius? What is it? A...," She did not finish her sentence.  
  
"If you start running, he will hunt you down. Stay with me,   
and let us walk calmly. He is down wind."  
  
"Can't you simply fly away?" Natalie asked quietly.  
  
"Theoretically, I could, but the powers of a vampire are slightly   
diminished during a full moon. I could fly away, but I would not be   
able to lift you as well," he murmured in her direction.  
  
She saw blood sweat on his forehead.   
If Lacroix was nervous, the danger had to be great.  
  
Suddenly, something jumped out of the bushes. It was hairy, ugly   
and smelled like a dead dog. Lacroix shoved her aside just in time   
and took the full blow. They rolled on the ground. Natalie could hear   
the growl of the werewolf and the snarl of the vampire.   
The fight was utterly ruthless. Natalie wanted to run, but her feet would   
not move. She stood there and watched, transfixed.  
  
"Run, Natalie!" Lacroix managed to yell.  
  
Natalie's paralysis vanished, and she ran, not looking back until she   
reached her home. She slammed the door shut and fell to the floor, breathing hard.  
  
Suddenly, she heard someone approaching the front door.   
The step was unsure, hesitant. Her heart thundered in her ears.   
  
"Natalie...."  
  
It was Lacroix's voice, sounding weak through the door.   
  
She opened the door and stared at Lacroix. The old vampire was bleeding   
from various wounds. "The werewolf is dead," he stated flatly. She noticed   
that his silver sword pin was missing.   
  
Natalie reached out for him as he lost consciousness and fell into her arms. 


	6. Chapter 5

I have dreamt...  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Natalie struggled under the weight of the old General.   
Somehow she was able to drag his limp form inside and rest   
him on the carpet while she closed the door carefully.  
  
  
He was lying on the floor, his eyes closed and his chest not   
moving. Anyone who saw him might have thought him dead but   
Natalie knew that a vampire didn't necessarily need to breathe.   
She ran into the bathroom to get the first aid kit.  
Carefully trying not to hurt the old vampire, she started to clean   
the various cuts and bite marks. His eyelids flickered, and it took him   
quite a while until he was able to focus on her face.  
  
"Dr. Lambert, I would greatly appreciate it, if you would help me into   
a more dignified position," Lacroix managed to say.  
  
She grinned. If he was still concerned of his dignity, his injuries couldn't   
be that bad.Natalie helped him up and into the master bedroom.   
"I really shouldn't be here, Natalie."  
  
She smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry, Lucius...Lucien, um...Lacroix.   
Molly and my daughter are on holiday."  
  
He grinned. "Natalie, this is getting slightly complicated.   
You should settle for one name. How about Lucien? I've used that   
name since the Middle Ages and I am quite pleased by the sound of it."  
  
"Lucien. Fine. Now lay down. I'm not finished with you!"  
  
He growled slightly, but his growl was laced with a snigger as he lay   
down on the king size bed and allowed her to finish cleaning his wounds.  
  
She frowned at the sight of him. None of the cuts and bruises showed any sign of   
healing. The blood was still seeping slowly out of them, and she began to worry they   
were going to become infected.  
  
"How do you feel, Lucien?" Natalie managed to ask.  
  
"My dear doctor, what do you think?" The answer was definitely him.   
  
She looked down at him sternly. "Hmm, you look like death warmed over,   
but then... you always look like that," Natalie answered in a light tone,   
then added in a more serious voice," you look terrible, Lucien."  
  
"I feel worse than when Nicholas staked me and set fire to me."  
  
"He did WHAT?" Natalie was stunned.  
  
"We had a little dispute a few years ago. Vampires tend to be a little   
temperamental at times." He grinned broadly despite his condition.  
  
Natalie covered his wounds.  
  
"I should get you something to eat, but I wasn't expecting visitors.  
I'll have to go to the hospital and try to organize something. Will you be alright?"  
  
"Don't worry, Natalie. I will be just fine," he said amicably.   
  
Shortly thereafter, Lacroix heard the front door close. He squeezed his eyes shut.   
It had been difficult enough to conceal the pain while she was present.   
No sense in disturbing her any further, but now he was unable to suppress   
it any longer.He groaned and pressed his knees into his abdomen, trying to master   
the pain that seared though his body. The vampire and the werewolf viruses started   
to battle inside of him. Until now, he had seen only a few survive this battle,   
most of them crippled for life.  
  
It took Natalie more time than she had anticipated before she could gather   
the necessary blood supplies and return home.  
  
When she opened the door, she found Lucien on the floor, unconscious.   
Quickly setting down the bags she had used to transport the blood   
supplies, she began to give him a cursory exam as the doctor in her   
took over. His body was covered with blisters and the wounds were infected.   
She could see that his joints had become terribly swollen, due to what   
appeared to be the rupturing of many of his blood vessels.  
  
Like a true professional, she shoved him back into the bed and tried to  
clean him up, to bring down the fever and make him more comfortable.   
She took samples from his blood and studied them under the microscope   
she had brought home from the hospital.   
She could see the destruction of his blood cells, the violent battle   
between the two different viruses that occupied his bloodstream.   
Natalie didn't know what to do.  
  
She poured some blood into a glass and held it to his mouth.  
  
"Lucien, drink!" Natalie ordered him, but only after several tries   
did he open his eyes.She stared at them in disbelief. They were not blue,   
not even yellow or red. They were totally black, no white left in them, like   
the pits of hell. She gasped at the sight.  
  
She had to force herself to stay calm. "Lucien, you have to drink something.   
Here. Open your mouth!"  
  
And after a while, he actually opened his mouth but when she tried to   
feed him, he was unable to swallow. Natalie got a syringe and injected   
the blood right into his stomach.A few seconds later, she witnessed him violently   
vomiting up all of the blood.Natalie was at a loss. The vampire in him needed   
the blood, but the werewolf rejected it.  
  
She tried to cover him with blankets and sat down next to his bed.   
He would have to battle this out alone. Out of desperation, Natalie   
took his hand into hers as she waited for any change in his condition.  
  
Hours passed. In the dark of the bedroom Natalie sat, eyes closed,   
and listened to the silence. He had stopped breathing hours ago, and she   
wasn't even sure he was still alive. His heartbeat was slow, even for a vampire,   
and she knew every heartbeat could be his very last.  
  
She realized that she must have had fallen asleep.   
A sudden scream woke her, and she saw Lucien sitting up, his eyes wide   
and black, staring into nothingness. He turned towards her, and she could see   
his fangs, dripping from his own blood as he had pierced his tongue in pain.  
  
She tried to calm him down, taking him by the shoulders and pressing  
him down onto the cushions, but the moment she touched him, his hand   
flashed out like an angry cobra. Natalie flew across the room like a rag doll.   
It took her a while to recover from the vicious blow, but stubbornly she got back to her feet.  
  
She talked to him, hoping that something would reach the man inside.  
"Lucien, look at me! You are sick, very sick, and you need to calm down. You need rest!"  
  
She continued to talk to him for quite a while, mostly complete nonsense,   
but she hoped that her voice would soothe him.  
  
Slowly he leaned back, laying his head on the cushion and closing his eyes.  
  
Natalie examined her arm. Luckily, it wasn't broken, only badly bruised.   
She was angry, not at Lacroix but at this illness. The scientist took over   
once more. She had an idea. What if she could withdraw most of his blood from him,   
then return pure, unspoiled to his body? Maybe it was a chance.  
  
Hesitantly, she turned his limp form onto his stomach and located a very   
large syringe.It had been years since she had punctured the spinal cord of a human,   
and she had never done this to a vampire. She did not know what to expect.   
Carefully, so as not to inflict any damage, she took a small sample of the spinal fluid.   
Natalie looked into the microscope. There was the answer! His spinal cord was not affected yet.   
None of the invading virus could be found in there.  
  
Natalie checked her blood supply. She had plenty of blood,   
all in good condition, but not enough to replace his blood and to feed him as well.   
If she just could clean his own blood from the virus, destroy the werewolf virus  
in his blood, and put it back.  
  
She needed the aid of the Community! She needed more blood. No hospital   
in Montreal would hand her that much clean, unspoiled, human blood, unless   
it was an emergency, and stealing that much was out of the question, but   
Natalie did not dare to give him anything less. He was too weak.  
  
She grabbed Lacroix in desperation and shouted at him.   
This time she used Latin in the hope that he would understand his mother tongue.  
  
"LUCIUS! FAC EXPERGISCARIS!! LUCIUS! IT FESTININAT!" In her desperation,   
she shook him violently. And, indeed, he slowly opened his eyes, and she had the   
distinct feeling that a part of his brain recognized the urgency.   
(Lucius! Come on, Wake up!! Lucius! Hurry up!)  
  
"QUID EST?" he murmured.   
(What's the matter?)  
  
"UBI CIVITAS EST?" Natalie hoped he would understand her.   
(Where is the Community?)  
  
He murmured an answer and slowly turned around, falling back into darkness.  
  
Natalie looked at him. She was human. No one in the Community here would   
trust her if she had nothing with which to verify her authority. She reached over   
to Lacroix and took his ring. 


	7. Chapter 6

I have dreamt....  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
It took Natalie some time until she found the place where this Community met.   
The bouncer at the door was not willing to allow her entry. She told him Lacroix   
sent her and he stepped aside. Natalie wondered how much influence Lacroix held   
within all the Communities. She braced herself and entered. It was very much like the   
Raven, but something was missing. Maybe the cold presence of the Raven's owner.   
He was able to keep younger vampires at bay and did not hesitate to do so.  
  
She approached the bar.   
"What can I do for you, Miss?" the barkeeper asked her.  
  
He was certainly not very friendly. She was a mortal, and she could feel   
everyone staring at her. Some vampires started to encircle her.   
She drew in a deep breath and addressed the barkeeper with a loud and steady voice.  
"My name is Natalie Lambert. Lacroix sent me. I need to talk to the elder of this Community. "   
  
The mentioning of Lacroix's name sobered the younger vampires considerably.   
Hastily they went back to their tables. A smooth voice addressed her from behind.  
  
"Why should we believe Lacroix sent you?"  
  
Natalie turned around, and found herself facing a tall dark man with oriental features.  
"Are you the elder?" she asked.  
  
"You may consider me an elder. My name is Weng."  
  
She nodded and presented him the ring, mentioning that she was present   
when Lacroix had called the Community barely 24 hours ago.  
  
He looked at the ring Natalie held for quite awhile before he gestured to her   
to follow him. They entered a small office.  
  
"Does each Community open up a nightclub?"  
  
He laughed at her question. "Well, Dr. Lambert, a nightclub is rarely suspicious.   
No one wonders if a lot of people gather at such a place during the night.   
  
Natalie understood.   
  
"Lacroix would have never willingly taken off his ring. It was given to him by   
Vespasian. What has happened?" he continued.  
  
"Lacroix was attacked by a werewolf. I need blood to replace his own, and my   
access to fresh blood is limited."  
  
"He will not need any blood," the elder stated flatly.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Natalie was getting angry.  
  
"Come with me. I will show you." She followed him into the cellar. A lone creature   
was laying there, barely alive. The scent of decaying flesh and death hung in the air.  
The being barely resembled a human or a vampire. Black, empty eyes stared at the   
ceiling. His body was covered with blisters. He was in basically the same condition   
as Lacroix, only to a far worse degree.   
  
"Why don't you do anything?" Natalie was embarrassed by the lack of compassion.  
  
"We cannot do anything, Dr. Lambert. He will die no matter what we do. At least we   
hope so, because if he stays alive, he will never be anything but a cripple, barely   
able to feed or hunt and weak like a child. He will lose all his abilities and linger   
between two worlds."  
  
Natalie was a physician and her oath would not allow her to accept such a statement.  
"You cannot give up like that. You have to fight this illness! This is barbaric!"  
  
A very angry and vamped out Weng stared at her, snarling.   
"How dare you address us as barbarous! My people walked the earth when your   
ancestors were living in primitive huts!"  
  
Natalie gulped. It seemed all vampires suffered from a quick temper.  
She saw Weng turn his eyes away and look at the sick young man, trying to collect   
himself. "We have heard about you. You are the coroner who helped the   
Community in Toronto, the girlfriend of De Brabant."  
  
Natalie tried to approach the sick vampire in an attempt to help. Weng grabbed her arm.  
"Don't! Let him be."  
  
Natalie turned around and stared into the golden eyes of the elder.  
  
"Try to keep him alive! I .... might find out something. Give me 48 hours!"   
  
The elder drew back from her. "You are a stubborn mortal, but I respect your courage.   
I will give you the necessary supplies, and ... I promise to try and keep him alive   
for another 48 hours."  
  
Natalie suddenly realized the suppressed pain in the voice of the elder.  
"Is he close to you?" she asked quietly.  
  
"He is my son."  
She saw blood tears in his eyes.   
  
"I will do whatever I can." Silently Natalie pledged that she would help them,   
no matter the price.  
  
Within minutes, she was provided with a large amount of fresh and clean blood in   
plastic bags. Natalie grinned. The vampires must have robbed a blood bank. Everything   
was stored in cooling bags, the Community evidently knowing how to store fresh blood.   
In addition to that, they provided her with boxes filled with the finest reserves   
they could provide.   
  
"I will help you take it to your shelter, Miss Lambert," Weng explained.  
  
  
They entered the Natalie's house and suddenly Natalie realized the smell. It was faintly   
reminiscent of the smell of decay she had encountered in the cellars of the nightclub   
she had so recently visited. By the look in his eyes, she could see that Weng was   
thinking the same thing.  
  
  
She dropped the bags and ran upstairs.  
Lucius was lying on the floor, shuddering violently. As she bent over his form, he grabbed her   
arm and stared into her eyes. His eyes were still black, and blood tears ran down his hollow   
cheeks. He opened his mouth a few times, trying to voice a plead... She understood him   
even though he was unable to speak ...He was begging her to kill him.  
  
"You would put him out of his misery, Miss Lambert. I have seen hundreds of vampires go   
insane from the pain or killing themselves after they recovered. Being a crippled   
vampire is the worst fate we can think of. A crippled vampire is lower than any Carouche.   
Give him the honor of the stake."  
  
"I will not stake him!" Natalie cried out at the elder.  
  
She ran over to Weng and grabbed him, forgetting momentarily that she was trying to   
bully an elder. "You will help me, Weng. We will lift him to the bed."  
  
"Very well, Dr. Lambert."   
  
She grabbed the thickest and longest syringe she could lay her hands on and   
stabbed his abdominal main artery.  
  
"What are you doing, Dr. Lambert?" the elder asked curiously.  
  
"I have to get all the blood out of his system. I want to replace it with the clean blood."  
  
"That will not help him. The infection will only continue anew."  
  
"I know, but it will buy us some time."  
  
Weng pinned Lacroix to the bed while Natalie had the gruesome task of robbing   
Lucien Lacroix of every last drop of blood. Weng forced a piece of wood into the   
mouth of the vampire in order to silence his screams as he fought instinctively   
against their assault to the very life of every vampire.  
  
"You are a very cruel woman, Dr. Lambert. No vampire would ever inflict such torture   
on another, mortal or otherwise." Weng's voice was thick with horror.  
  
"I want him to live!"  
  
"He will hate you for this," Weng stated flatly.  
  
"Then let him." Natalie murmured, fighting back her tears. 


	8. Chapter 7

I have dreamt....  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Half an hour later, Natalie pumped one blood bag after the other   
into Lacroix's body, silently observed by the very still Weng.   
  
She poured the infected blood into a filtering system, normally   
used for blood analysis, and stared at it for quite a while.  
  
Lacroix had lost consciousness and was lying on the bed, looking   
like death itself. Weng stood in front of his bed as if he was an honor guard.  
  
Natalie took a small bottle of unknown contents and added a small   
drop to the blood sample. It started to boil as if acid had been   
added to the blood and changed from red to a rusty brown.   
  
The elder went over to her, peaking over her shoulder.   
  
"What are you doing, Dr. Lambert?"  
  
She recovered the sample and looked at it under the microscope.  
"Yes, as I thought. I added silveroxide to the blood. It killed the werewolf virus."  
  
A glimmer of hope was in Weng's voice when she heard him again.  
  
"What would happen if you injected this chemical into Lucius' veins?"  
  
Natalie shook her head.  
"That would not work. It would burn him. All his blood vessels would   
rupture instantly from the reaction."  
  
Weng sighed." I told you there is no cure."  
  
Natalie looked up from her microscope and stared into the eyes   
of the old vampire. "It was not the reaction of the virus on the   
silveroxide I was looking for but for the dead virus itself. Have you   
ever heard of the cure for pocks ?"  
  
"We are vampires. Plagues do not interest us."  
  
"Yes, I'd imagine that. But the immune system can be made resistant to   
a virus by injecting a small sample of the original virus, only dead."  
  
Understanding showed on the face of the elder.  
"You mean injecting this ..... dead virus could make us resistant to the virus?"  
  
"Exactly!!!" Her voice could barely hide her optimism.   
  
"Then do it!! For heaven's sake, do it !"  
  
She grinned at the old vampire.   
"Be careful or you'll burn your lips mentioning heaven!"  
  
He grinned back mischievously. "Heaven stakes? Would that be more appropriate?"  
Natalie could hear the glimmer of hope in the voice of the elder.  
She laughed. She never knew vampires could inflict dark humor upon themselves.  
  
"First I have to filter the silveroxide from the blood, then I will inject a   
small sample back into Lucius. His spinal cord is not infected yet, so I   
hope he will grow resistant to the virus."  
  
Half an hour later, she gave him a small sample of the cleaned blood with   
the dead werewolf virus.  
  
She nodded. "Now, all we can do is sit and wait."  
  
***  
  
Natalie made a couple of phone calls, making sure Molly and her daughter were well.  
  
"Yes, sweetheart, I will call you more often. So you like Disney World?"  
  
She laughed as she listened to the phone.  
  
"Mickey Mouse? Oh, yes, I know him but I always preferred Donald."  
  
After a while Molly was on the line.  
  
"Molly, oh yes...I am fine....no, I do not sound strained. I am fine, really.   
A friend is ill, and I help out a little. That's why I am a little busy....  
The friend?... Oh, well, it is Nick's father. He caught a flu......Yes, one of   
the really nasty ones....yes, Molly.... don't worry ... I will call again   
tomorrow... see you...bye."  
  
  
She went up again and looked at Lucien. He was pale, but the blisters and wounds   
seemed to have healed a little, and his swollen limbs looked more normal.   
Maybe it was the fresh blood in his veins, maybe the injection worked. She was not sure.  
  
Weng looked very anxious. He was even a bit giddy, which looked strange on such   
an old and respected member of the local Community.   
"Natalie, give me some of the medication. It is the only hope to rescue my son."  
  
Natalie looked stern. "We are not sure if it works...."   
  
"I know, I know.... but I witnessed what you have done, and I want to give it a try.   
It might be his only hope for survival."  
  
She nodded and handed Weng a sample of the serum.  
  
He was gone within seconds.   
  
Natalie settled on the easy chair, closing her eyes.  
  
***  
  
Lucien opened the eyes and moaned. He felt like he had been pulled behind a   
chariot along the whole of the Via Appia from Gaul to Rome.  
  
Slowly he opened his eyes and focused on the still form of Natalie Lambert,   
sitting in an easy chair, sleeping. The dawn was approaching, but he was wide awake,   
the throbbing headache reminding him that he had slept far too long.  
  
He looked at Natalie, the fine lines in her face. She looked tired and worried.   
Did she worry for him? She had fought for his life, had held him when he thought   
he would become insane. She had heard his sobs of pain and was witness to his   
helplessness. Still, she was here. A wave of pain wavered through him as if a   
forgotten part of him was coming back to live. A painful throbbing in his chest   
that settled down in his throat. He suddenly longed for her touch, for her warmth,   
her breath brushing against his cold chest, rekindling the fire of life inside of him.   
He smirked at the thought. It was as if he wished that a princess would come to give   
him a wakeup kiss. No, the big, bad and mean General would never submit to such needs.   
He shook his head in amused disgust for his weakness. This was nothing but the remains   
of his illness, an emotional weakness that accompanied his physical weakness.  
  
With as little noise as possible, he got up. Shocked, he looked down.   
He was stark naked! He listened intently but there was no other heartbeat  
in the building except Natalie's and his own, slow thrum. Avoiding the beams of the rising   
sun coming through the closed curtains, he went downstairs. Everywhere the curtains   
were carefully closed. He was grateful for that. Lacroix found his way into the   
bathroom and prepared a hot bath for himself. Slowly he descended into the hot water,   
trying to relax his aching joints.He had not felt this aching and tired since an   
especially gruesome campaign against some Gauls. Lacroix looked at the variety of bubble   
baths standing around the tub. Some looked like animals or cartoons. Obviously those   
belonged to Natalie's daughter. He opened one of those bottles, inhaling the scent.   
Peaches. He liked the smell. It reminded him of his youth. He poured a large amount of   
the yellow liquid into the water and laid his head back, closing his eyes, allowing his   
mind to wander.  
  
Natalie awoke and realized that Lacroix was gone. She looked at the curtains,   
realizing that it was morning. Had he finally gone insane and run out into the   
sunlight? Natalie's heart throbbed in fear and she was close to panicking.   
Hastily she ran downstairs calling his name.  
  
"My dear Natalie, I am merely trying to make myself more presentable."   
  
She looked frantically around, trying to locate his voice. Then she realized   
that the voice came out of the bathroom and started laughing.  
  
"I thought for a second that you .... went out."   
  
Distracted by her own feeling of relief, she entered the bathroom until she   
realized that this was not very appropriate. The scent of peaches was overwhelming.   
Right in the middle of a mountain of white bubbles was Lacroix grinning at her.  
  
She grinned back. "You look just like Lydia when she is taking a bath!"  
  
He frowned for a second. "Lydia? Your daughters name is Lydia?"  
  
"Yes, Lydia. It is a beautiful name, isn't it?"  
  
He looked lost in thought.   
"Yes, yes indeed. A very beautiful name. I had a sister named Lydia."  
  
Natalie looked at him with a strange expression. "You...had a sister?"  
Lacroix did not know why he answered but he had to.   
"Yes, my dear. I had a sister. I even had a mother.... or did you think I..."  
  
"...was born from a rattlesnake..." Natalie continued the sentence with a blank look on her face.   
  
He stared at her, trying to believe his ears. Both paled visibly.  
  
"Lucien... was your mother's name Bronagh?" Natalie's voice was suddenly very hoarse.  
  
He nodded, unable to answer  
  
Natalie looked away, then she looked around as if she could find the words she was   
desperately looking for, laying somewhere on the floor or pinned to the walls.  
  
"I'll get you a bathrobe, Lucien," she murmured absent mindedly and ran out  
only to vanish again after she gave him a robe without even looking at him.  
  
  
He went upstairs into the bedroom, unsure what to think or what to believe.   
Could it be possible? Natalie sat in the easy chair, staring at the bed.   
She had put fresh linen on it simply to keep herself occupied. Lacroix sat   
on the edge of the bed facing her. He lifted a hand to touch her arm and s  
aw that she flinched away."What is it, Natalie? Have I hurt you?"  
  
"No, no... it's only ... a bad bruise." She shivered slightly.  
  
"Let me see your arm," Lucien demanded in a very soft and concerned voice.  
He lifted the arm of her T-shirt to examine her shoulder. It was black and   
bruised. Natalie saw him taking in a deep breath.   
"I have hurt you, Natalie..." he murmured and placed feather light kisses   
on her arm, kisses so tender, they reminded her of Lucius. Natalie moaned and   
closed her eyes. "Lucien... I thought everything was ... a dream. I thought..."  
  
"I thought the same. Forgive me, Natalie, for being so ignorant."  
Suddenly Natalie was in his arms and they kissed deeply. She could feel his body warmed   
by the hot bath and his muscles though the bathrobe.A second later he drew back,   
trying to put some distance between him and her.  
  
She looked at him without understanding. "Lucien? Why..."  
  
He looked at her, and she saw the flicker of gold in his eyes, and when he opened his   
mouth she could see his fangs had dropped.   
"I am not the same man you remember, Natalie. I am .... not mortal.   
Also, my resistance has greatly weakened."  
  
Natalie lifted her hand and touched his pale cheek briefly. Both their eyes were filled   
with sorrow.It hurt deeply, but they both knew there was truth in his words.   
His world and her world were not compatible. She had experienced it with Nicholas.  
  
She buried her face in her hands, close to tears. This was so unfair. For years   
she had thought of the past as a dream. Now the dream came true but was instantly   
destroyed by reality.   
  
He kneeled in front of her, holding her hands.  
  
"I am sorry, Natalie..." he murmured, unsure.  
  
She looked up and steadied herself.   
"No need to be sorry. I have a daughter to look after. A very bright and intelligent daughter."  
  
Lacroix hesitated for a second until he continued.  
  
"Is Lydia my daughter?"   
He knew it was impossible but something forced the question over his lips.  
  
"I do not know, Lucien. I really do not know. When I woke up, I was pregnant."  
  
He nodded and accepted the answer.  
  
"Will you allow me to visit her from time to time?" he pleaded silently.  
  
Natalie nodded and smiled.  
  
The phone rang and Natalie lifted the receiver. It was Weng. He was as excited   
as a schoolboy. His son's condition had improved ever so slightly.   
Finally, there was a glimmer of hope.   
  
Lacroix grabbed the receiver and talked to Weng for a short while.   
Then he turned towards Natalie.  
  
"We will meet the others at the Dragon after sundown."  
Natalie nodded. The werewolves would pay for their actions. 


	9. Chapter 8

I have dreamt...  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Lucien and Natalie entered the Dragon together. She felt his hand lightly on her back as if he was guiding her,   
but she realized that was mainly a signal for the other vampires that she was his protegee or, as Lacroix would   
have called it in former times, human pet. She disliked the thought of being regarded as a pet, but she also   
realized that there was absolutely no time to argue, not with so much at stake.  
  
Lacroix was still a little weak. For a second, she felt his hand moving from her back to her shoulder, as if he   
needed support, but she was not entirely positive that this was the case. Lucien hated to show any weaknesses,   
especially in front of others of his kind but even more so around mortals. She wondered how he regarded her   
now.  
  
Weng had already informed the members of this Community, and everybody was looking at him expectantly.   
  
"We will put an end to the canine infection of this town, and we will see that other Communities follow our   
example." Lucien Lacroix stood there, proud and erect, and Natalie could imagine him talking to his troops back   
when he was a General in the Roman Army.   
  
Some of the vampires became visibly nervous. The thought of confronting a werewolf was something no   
vampire enjoyed.   
  
One of the younger members of the Community addressed him with a display of ignorance.  
  
"Is it not enough that we let them know that we do not fear them anymore?"  
  
Lucien walked up to the youngster. He was less than 150 years old and obviously not used to fighting anything   
that could match his strength. He realized that a lot of the vampires present never fought against an opponent of   
similar strength and cunning. They were used to draining mortals who had no chance, and only a few of them   
had ever encountered a hunter or anything that could fight back.  
  
Lacroix looked the young one up and down, measuring him with obvious distaste.  
  
"You, my dear boy, are a fool. You are a disgrace to the one who brought you across," he stated flatly and the   
youngster blushed, trying to avoid the cold blue eyes of the Roman.  
  
A voice from the back interrupted, and the crowd of vampires parted to let a black and very large vampire   
through their midst.  
"He is my son, and I will not allow you to call him a fool. He is not used to such a treatment, and there is no   
reason for us to fight for you in any battle, against whomever."  
  
Natalie realized what was going on. Lucien had to show his superiority in order to keep the vampires in line.   
Vampires were individualists and trying to organize them was nearly impossible. Like a pack of wolves, the   
leader had to prove his strength to the others.  
But Lucien was in no condition to do that. He was greatly weakened by his sickness. Natalie tried to hold him   
back, but he looked at her and his eyes pleaded for silence. This was something he had to do alone.  
  
"Garn of Ethiopia, dost thou challenge me?" Lucien Lacroix hissed without hesitation.  
  
"Yes, Lucius of Rome, I dost challenge thee! I will not take any insult from you or your tribe."  
  
Natalie realized that the other must be about the same age as Lucien.  
  
The others got out of the way as the two vampires circled each other, looking for a gap in the defense of their   
opponent.  
  
The black vampire attacked first, sending Lucien crashing into the bar. Glass and wooden splinters flew around,   
but Lucien got up nearly as quickly as he had fallen. He lunged at the other and got hold of his hair, pulling his   
head back and trying to break his neck. But Garn pried the grip of the weakened Lucien open and escaped,   
grabbing one of the wooden splinters, large enough to cause serious damage to any vampire. Lucien looked   
around for anything to defend himself, and Natalie caught sight of a pair of ancient swords hanging from the   
wall of the nightclub. She ran and jumped on table, only to be held back by the protegee of this Garn. She could   
barely reach one of the swords with her fingertips, and after some struggle, she ensured her grip on the weapon   
and slashed violently at the arm of the younger vampire who tried to hold her by her ankle.  
  
He howled and let her go, and she jumped up again and got hold of the second sword and threw it through the   
air.  
  
"Lucien, Catch!!"  
  
He turned around and grabbed the sword in full flight, and with one flowing movement turned around and   
blocked the wooden stake that was about to stab him.  
  
The other was in shock for a moment. He flew up and wrestled the second sword from Natalie's hand, sending   
her violently to the floor. She got up immediately, but everyone was so occupied with the fight of the two   
vampires that nobody attacked her.  
  
Lucien fought with the skill of someone trained to use a sword without a second thought. Natalie could see that   
he did not need to think about what to do. He simply followed his instinct. The other one was stronger but less   
skilled, far less skilled even though he must have been a fair fighter once.  
  
Furniture crashed and decoration was severely damaged until Lucien managed with one swift parry to disarm   
Garn. He held his weapon to his throat.  
  
"Garn, if I behead you and keep your head and torso apart, there will be no way for you to regenerate. I believe   
you would hardly enjoy this. Will you accept my leadership for this campaign or will you face the   
consequences?"  
  
Everyone was so enchanted by the view of the fighters that nobody saw the younger one approaching Lucien   
from the back with the wooden stake his master had lost previously. Everyone except of Natalie.  
She grabbed a chair and threw it in the way of the younger vampire, sending him stumbling to the floor and   
stabbing his own shoulder.  
  
Everybody turned towards the howling youngster who was trying to pry the stake from his tormented arm.  
  
"Your protegee has shamed you further by interfering," Lucien stated flatly, his eyes glittering with a strange   
fire.  
  
Garn of Ethiopia swallowed hard.  
  
"I will accept your leadership, Lucius of Rome. I swear to accept you as my liege for the time being."  
  
"You and your tribe?"  
  
"Me and my tribe, all that belong to me."  
  
Lucien pulled the sword back and offered his hand to help the other up.  
  
The other one stared at the hand for a second but accepted it.  
  
Both men brushed the dust from their clothes.  
  
Natalie could see that Lucien hid his own exhaustion by leaning nonchalantly at the bar, grinning like a predator.  
  
She went over to him, trying to look equally unimpressed.  
  
He grinned at her and murmured a single, "Thank you, my dear. You have saved my hide."   
  
Then he looked again at the Community of vampires watching him.  
  
"And now let us discuss battle plans......"  
  
Natalie realized that this was going to be a long night. 


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9   
  
The following days and weeks the whole community was drilled in a way no one of them had ever encountered   
in their immortal life span. Lucien taught them how to operate with weapons, silver weapons he ordered to be   
crafted by the finest jewelers the Communities possessed. All the Communities were contacted and some of   
them sent observers in order to pick up certain information that might prove useful if some of their enemies   
showed up in other areas.  
  
Suddenly, the door to the Dragon opened and a young, handsome and bearded man entered. Natalie was sitting at   
a desk, preparing and polishing silver bullets, recognized him instantly. It was Nick. He looked at her for a   
second, only to avert his eyes in a way that told Natalie more than she ever wanted to know. There was shame in   
his eyes, but it was a different kind of shame. He felt ashamed for her instead for him.  
  
She continued polishing the bullets, pretending that she did not recognize him. He approached Lacroix, who was   
showing some of the younger members how to use a gladius, including that insolent whelp who had attacked him   
some days ago.  
  
Lucien turned around and stared at him, his eyes cold as diamonds.   
  
"What is it that brings us the divine pleasure of your company?" he asked with a stony face.  
  
Nicholas' eyes held a similar expression as he answered. "My Community wishes me to participate in order to   
obtain the necessary information." There was no warmth in their greeting.  
  
"You are aware that it is quite possible that the foe is preparing as well. Indeed, it is most likely that they will   
summon their forces. If they win this battle, no other Community will stand in their way ever again. There is   
much at stake, and I am not interested in being distracted by any of your actions."  
  
"It is not my wish to distract you, General," Nicholas stated flatly.  
  
"And it is understood that observing is not an option. One has to participate or to leave. Your conscience is not   
valued here."  
  
"I will keep my inner turmoil out of the matters at hand. I promise that much. And I brought this..." He   
unwrapped the parcel he was carrying. His own sword was revealed, the one he had used during the crusades.  
  
"It contains enough silver to be of serious damage to our enemy."  
  
Lucien nodded in approval.  
"I accept you allegiance for the time being."  
  
"I am offering nothing but an allegiance for a limited time," Nicholas stated with a cold and distant voice.  
  
Natalie witnessed the gap between the two men. They were friends for centuries, father and son, brothers. How   
could anything lasting so long be destroyed? It grieved her more than her own disappointment.  
  
She put the bullets away and approached the two men.  
  
"Nick! How are you?" she inquired softly.   
  
Strangely, she did not feel any anger. She felt sorry for him, for the loss of his family, for the estrangement with   
his father.  
  
Nicholas had difficulties facing her, but suddenly he looked up and tried to smile.   
  
"Hello, Natalie. How are you?"  
  
What should she say? Thank you, Nick, I feel fine....despite your lack of restrain or solicitude. She heard herself   
answer, " Thank you, Nick, I'm fine, just peachy." But her words had a faint echo of acid buried deep inside. He   
heard the silent message and blushed ever so slightly.  
  
Nick drew in a deep breath and tried a different approach.  
  
"What are you doing here? I have heard you found a cure for the werewolf infection. So you are still interested in   
the scientific examination of my kind."  
  
"Nick, keep Natalie out of this. She is here because she wants to," Lucien intervened.  
  
"She is mortal!"  
  
"Before you left Toronto, you had a different opinion concerning mortals. Now I have changed my mind and you   
argue again. I am sick of your stubborn behavior. Natalie is here because she will provide medical assistance in   
the upcoming battle. You might call her our Red Cross service."  
  
Natalie watched the two men arguing again. She was unsure why she stayed with this Community. It was really   
none of her business. But leaving them to their fate? Garn and his son? That stubborn youngster with more heart   
than brain? Or Weng, who was still sitting at the bed of his recovering son? Or the others? Vampires and mortals   
were so much alike. Their lifespan was longer, but they had the same feelings, they spilled the same tears, even   
though blood red, when one lost a loved one. And there was Lucien. She started to learn more about his kind   
than she had learned in all those previous years with Nick. Lacroix hid nothing from her. He answered all her   
questions. Maybe there was a way for a mortal and a vampire to be together. Maybe they could build a bridge   
between her world and his.  
They talked when he guided her home every morning, mostly about the work ahead of them. He avoided any   
emotional subjects.   
  
Lacroix glared at Nick, at his stubbornness, his attitude. When had Nicholas started to hate him the way he did?   
Was the day Nick lost Alyssa, the day that had lain the foundation for the decay of their relationship? Was is   
only Nicolas fault or his as well? They had argued for so long, it seemed like a bad habit. And what of   
Natalie...? Did she still love Nicolas? Lucien was unsure. She was angry at Nicolas but even a lover can be angry   
at the one he or she loves. Love and hate never excluded each other completely. Quite the opposite. They were   
like siblings, coming from the same mother. Very different but also very much alike. He could never be Natalie's   
husband the way she deserved him to be. And there was this little girl. She reminded him so much of his little   
sister, but it was impossible that she was his daughter. And daughters brought only pain to him. He remembered   
Divia far too clearly. Divia, his beloved daughter. Maybe he should stay away.   
Every time, when he escorted Natalie back to her home, he told himself that they had no future, that he should   
quit trying to nurture hope in both of them, but when she looked at him, he could not force himself to say   
goodbye without the hope of seeing her tomorrow.  
  
  
  
  
And again they were walking home, through that little park, and talking about the organization of everything,   
carefully avoiding any personal matter. Suddenly, Natalie turned around.  
  
"Lucien. We talk a lot about the battle. But what will happen after the battel. Will you go away?"  
  
He knew that the day would come when she asked the one important question.  
  
"Natalie, what sense is there in us being together? You have a daughter who needs you, a daughter who needs a   
mortal mother that loves and cherishes her. She does not need a pale shadow that can only live in the night. She   
needs a mother who walks with her in the sun. And I have never been a very successful father."  
  
"Lucien, you could be such a wonderful father, if you'd only allow yourself."  
  
Lucien winced.  
  
"Natalie, I had a daughter. She was a monster, even by my standards. I do not wish to experience the same   
disaster ever again. It is better we part after the battle."  
  
There, it was said. Lucien swallowed hard.  
  
Natalie looked at him. His pale eyes glittered in the night.   
  
She did not need male support. She would go on without Lucien. He was not important to her life. She could go   
on without him.  
  
"Very well, Lucien. Then we will part after the battle."  
  
"Yes, Natalie. I think it is the best for everyone."  
  
Natalie nodded calmly. His words contained some truth.   
  
And this evening he did not ask her if he should meet her tomorrow again.  
  
  
Molly was preparing a little snack when Natalie arrived.  
  
Natalie was leaning on the door to summon her strength when she realized that Molly was still up.  
  
"Natty, my god. You are out nearly every night, and you come home, looking tired. Child, what is it?"  
  
"I am helping in some Community work. Lucien needed some help," she explained.  
  
"Community work? That guy does not look like the type of man that is interested in public welfare."  
  
Natalie grinned at that remark.   
  
"Well, Molly, you misjudge him greatly."  
  
"Why does he never come in for a coffee or such?" Molly inquired.  
  
"He does not think it proper."  
  
Molly murmured something and guided Natalie to the couch in the living room to get some rest.  
  
"Are you in love with him?" the elderly woman inquired softly.  
  
Natalie stared at Molly. Was she in love with Lucien? She did not know. She loved Lucius, his pride, his attitude   
towards life, his pitch black humor. But Lucien was a different man. One second, he was cold as an ice cube, and   
in the next moment, he was exploding like the Vesuvius. And Lucien was a vampire. What should she tell Molly   
in answer to her question? She was unsure.  
  
  
Lucien Lacroix walked slowly back to the Dragon. He witnessed young couples exchanging gestures of their   
affection. Suddenly, he envied their innocence. Since Fleur, there had been no real love in his life. No woman he   
felt close enough to to exchange his inner being. He shoved his clenched fists deeper into his pockets. There was   
a battle ahead. Thinking about emotional trivialities was a waste of energy. No, after the battle there would be   
enough time to come to terms with emotions and possibilities.   
Tomorrow would the next full moon grace the dark skies. Tomorrow the hounds of war would cry for their   
prey....on both sides.  
  
How often had he experienced this feeling in his mortal life, the evening before a battle, the rushing of the very   
last preparations? The anticipation, the scent of fear and adrenaline? 


	11. Chapter 10

I have dreamt...  
  
by Iejasu  
  
  
Chapter 10  
  
  
  
Natalie was at home. Lucien had made it clear that she would only be called in case of an emergency. There was   
no use into endangering her in the upcoming battle.  
  
So she sat in her living room, trying to keep herself busy by reading a fairy tale to her daughter.... The wolf and   
the seven little goats.  
  
"Mommy, are you sad?" Lydia looked up to her mother with questioning eyes.  
  
"No, I am not sad, Liddy. I am simply thinking of a friend."  
  
"Is that friend nice?" Lydia grinned broadly.  
  
"Yes, very nice. But he is also very difficult. He is different."  
  
"Mrs. Wayne told us that we should not judge people only because they are different," Lydia proclaimed   
broadly.  
  
"Mrs. Wayne is a very wise woman." Natalie smiled softly but asked herself if Mrs. Wayne, the kindergarten   
teacher, would extend her view to vampires or werewolves.  
  
  
****  
  
Various groups of vampires started a search for the werewolves, only guided by their keen sense of smell. They   
spotted a few spots on the outskirts of the town. One by one, every pocket of the werewolf community was   
destroyed.  
  
Garn cleaned his sword. The training and the logistics Lucius had provided had prevented serious losses.   
  
Lacroix stood there and stared at the flames of another burning building.   
  
"What is it, Lucius? You seem discontent."  
  
Lacroix laughed bitterly. "Garn, no battle was ever won that easily. Tomorrow they will take the offensive."  
  
"Tomorrow?"  
  
"Yes, tomorrow night."  
  
Lucien encountered a certain feeling of doom creeping up his spine.  
  
  
***  
  
  
The door shattered into pieces. Natalie sprung up and grabbed her daughter.  
"Liddy, go and hide in the cupboard. Don't come out until I tell you."  
Lydia went to her hands and knees and crawled into the cupboard. Her mother had explained what she had to do   
after she had talked to her friend on the phone. And she had given her a sweet she should eat as soon as she was   
inside the cupboard.  
  
A loud howl filled the air.   
  
Suddenly, an extremely large werewolf stood in front of Natalie. Natalie stepped back and tried to reach her   
weapon.  
  
  
Lucien woke up. Something had called out to him. Fear crept up in his chest, a feeling he did not enjoy very   
much.  
He could not pinpoint the feeling. Before he went to rest, he had called Natalie in order to give her some   
directions and to tell her of their success. Now, the first thing he did was call her again. The phone rang. Without   
noticing, he tapped with his fingers on the table, unable to control the feelings he had. Why was Natalie not   
answering the phone? She had promised to stay at home. Suddenly, he realized why. The weakest spot of this   
war was Natalie Lambert. He would have done the same. He cursed viscously and ran downstairs, alarming the   
others.   
  
His mind raced. They would not harm Natalie, he continued telling himself as he and the others flew though the   
early evening towards the house.  
  
The house was completely dark and the door was shattered. Lucien shivered inwardly as he recognized the smell   
and saw the claw marks on the door. He looked around and examined the other houses. Luckily, the gardens in   
this part where rather large and none seemed to have heard anything, or maybe the neighbors were on holiday.  
  
He ordered the others to stay behind.  
  
"Where are you!?" It was not clear to whom he spoke, Natalie or the werewolf who had invaded her home.  
  
"We are here, Vampire. Upstairs! Come up and we will talk."  
  
Lucien braced himself and went up, calm on the outside but boiling hot inside.  
  
The smell was disgusting.  
  
Then he saw the werewolf. It was a very old werewolf. So old that he was able to keep his intelligence even   
after the transformation. Drool sipped from his lightly opened jaw.   
  
"I would make her one of us, but I fear she would find a cure against it. It is better to make things even again. I   
will kill her."  
  
Lucien hid his horror and answered back.  
  
"She is a mere mortal. Killing her will change nothing."  
  
The werewolf seemed irritated. "She is your lover, is she not?"  
  
Lucien laughed. "She is a mortal. She might be my lover but that is not important. I kept her as my pet as long as   
she was useful. Now that she has provided us with the serum, her usefulness has come an end."   
  
He hoped that Natalie would not believe his heartless words but it was more important to distract the werewolf   
and to make him believe that Natalie was worthless.  
  
"But you came pretty quick to aid her, Vampire." The predator smile of the werewolf was nauseating, especially   
because of his vile breath. Natalie discovered that she found werewolves disgusting.   
  
"No, I came as quickly as I did so that I could put an end to your existence, Alpha." Lucien grinned his most   
viscous smile.  
  
"I will not be so easily overcome as my whelps, Vampire." The werewolf snarled.  
  
Lucien grinned. There was that common bond among all werewolves. Their feeling of inferiority.   
  
"Well, even you cannot stop drooling over a little flesh. Restraint is not much of an art for one of your kind, is it?   
You reproduce like rabbits and eat like animals. Not to mention that you smell worse than a ghoul."  
  
The werewolf was fuming.  
"I will show you my restraint, bloodsucker. I will pin you to the wall so you can watch me take that little lover of   
yours. Then I will stake you slowly, through the rectum, right into your heart."  
  
He tossed Natalie away and she bumped into a piece of furniture, loosing consciousness.  
  
Lucien could hear the sounds of the battle outside. All the other werewolves left were fighting with his little   
army outside while he and the leader of those canines fought in here.  
  
They circled each other, tried to rip each other's throats out, clawed, snarled and fought each other with every   
ounce of hatred they had for each other. Lucien and the werewolf were bleeding from many wounds. Still   
nobody wanted to give up or surrender. Surrendering was no option.   
  
"Lucien!"   
  
Natalie had regained her consciousness and had instinctively called out for her husband. Lucien turned for a   
second to look at her and that second was too much. A wooden stake hit him in the shoulder. Lucien howled in   
pain. The wooden stake had been prepared with holy water!   
  
The werewolf turned towards Natalie as he saw that she was crawling towards her weapon that lay forgotten in   
the corner. Lucien saw the danger, and with inhuman strength, he pulled the stake from his shoulder and impaled   
the werewolf. It was not enough to kill a werewolf, but the pain was distracting him enough to give Natalie a   
chance to get the gun.  
  
She pointed the weapon at the werewolf towering above her and pulled the trigger.  
  
Blood gushed from his chest wound, and he stared at her with blank eyes.   
  
Suddenly, the werewolf fell like a tree, right on top of Natalie. Lucien screamed and shook off his paralysis as he   
ran to her. He dragged the werewolf from Natalie, tossing it aside like a pile of dirt. Natalie's face was covered   
with blood. His hands trembled as he lifted her, trying to see if she was alright.  
  
"Natalie, please, ma Coeur, don't leave me. I do not want to live without you. Please, ma chere, I love you with   
every bit of my heart...Don't leave me again....Not now." Lucien was at the mercy of his emotions he had held   
back for far too long.  
  
"I hope I have not caught that werewolf virus... otherwise you have to bring me over.... I don't want to be   
accused of smelling like a dead dog...."  
  
Lucien blinked disbelieving. Natalie grinned. His face lit up as he saw her smile.   
  
He kissed her deeply despite of the werewolf blood all over her.  
  
They cried and laughed and held each other close. Suddenly, Natalie screamed out under his kisses. "Oh, my   
god, Lydia. She is hidden in the cupboard. I gave her an anesthetic."  
  
Other vampires entered the house. The battle outside was over. The last remains of the werewolf community had   
fled when their leader had died.  
  
Lucien covered Natalie with a blanket and guided her to the bathroom.  
  
"I will fetch Lydia. Please clean the blood off. I'll be back to examine you afterwards."  
  
Natalie nodded and closed the bathroom door.   
  
Lacroix went upstairs again. All the vampires looked at him, expecting him to say anything.  
  
Lucien Lacroix came down the stairs, all eyes fixed on his form.  
In his arms lay a sleeping mortal child.  
  
"May I introduce you to Lydia Lambert - Lacroix, my mortal daughter," he announced with a clear voice.  
  
Natalie came out of the bathroom in fresh clothing and smiled at his display.  
  
"And this is my wife, Natalie Lambert - Lacroix."  
His eyes caressed her.  
He gently laid the little girl on the couch and gently covered her with a blanket.  
  
Natalie saw Nick standing in the door, looking at her in total surprise. But his expression changed and he smiled   
broadly. Maybe there was a way to bring father and son back together again, she mused.  
  
"Natalie, I told you I would examine you...." Lacroix whispered silently.  
  
Natalie had examined herself without finding any scratch but grinned at him with a slightly wicked grin.  
  
"I demand to be examined when the sun goes up and you and I have a little more time, my dear."  
  
He purred at the implications and his blue eyes glittered.  
  
"Oh, yes, my dear. Every square millimeter of your beautiful body will be thoroughly examined."  
  
Natalie blushed at the promise that was shining from his eyes like a bonfire.  
  
  
  
-End- 


End file.
